Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-08-19
THE KID.
Bound Over to Appear Before the Grand
Jury.

Bound Over TO Appear Before the Grand
Jury.
The trial of Robt. H. Smith, the
boy charged with burglary. which
took place yesterday 10 the court
house, excited much interest among
the people of Billings on account of the
extreme youth and innocent appear
ance Of the prisoner. An exhaustive
examination of witnesses took place
during the morning and afternoon.
but the eliminating point Of interest
wa the decision of Judge Campbell.
which 1t was understood, would be
given last night before the court adj
journed. About o hundred people a.
ssmbled In the court room to hear the
closing arguments of the opposing
counsel. The case for the prosecution
was finally presented by County At
torney Sam Wildly, who did every.
thing in his power to help the boy,
consistent with his position as agent
for the territory. The youthful GRIM
inal was ably defended by his counsel,
Judge Goss, assisted by City Attorney
Harwood, who made q strong plea to
keep the boy from jail. After care
fully considering the arguments Of
both counsel for the territory and for
the defendant. Judge Campbell said
10 giving his decision that there were
but two points to be looked at; one
vas whether he committed the crime;
the other was whether he was an In
FAINT and ignorant of the difference be-
tween good and evil. The judge said
that the testimony in the case, In his
opinion. decided these questions In
the affirmative and that, although 1t
was the most painful duty he had been
called upon to perform since he had
been In Office, he would be compelled
to commit the defendant to await the
action Of the grand jury. His bail
was fixed at $500 and in default the
prisoner was remanded to jail.-Bill-
ings Gazette.
DoINGs OF THE KID.
After leaving Miles City the ire
presible Minneapolis Kid, Robert
wended his way by easy stages
10 Billings and there on the third of
July performed a very clever piece Of
work In the burglary line, breaking
into Camp Bros hardware store in q
manner worthy an expert crook.
From the store he took q revolver and
box Of cartridges-he had Q mania for
frearms-and celebrated the Fourth of
July In 4 highly respectable style.
The ammunition for his gun playing
out he sold the weapon and on the
of that day hired out to q
ranchman, setting out
for the rancher's place, Mseteetse.
In the Big Horn Basin, that same day.
He was horse wrangler for this ranch
man for q few weeks but honesty is
not the Kids forte. His next act of
lawlessless was to break into and rob
The postofice at Meeteetse and then
kip out and of all places in the world
be selected Billings a the harbor Of
As soon as he landed In the
Town, the officers, who were on the
lookout for him on the charge Of
burglary, the cast having been worked
up during his absence, pounced upon
him. His trial, which resulted rs
above stated, vas the next thing in
the course Of his criminal career and
now tile Meeteetse authorities are
anxious to have him explain his action
ut the postofice In that town. AS We
were called upon to state several
months ago, this boy Is thoroughly
bad, and In n of his tender years this
aptitude for crime is appalling. The
boy cannot be over thirteen years of
age and his look Of innocence and
guileless ways are decidedly prepos-
sessing. The reform school Is the
proper place for such an one and IL
may be that In years to come he will
make q good citizen, but without q
severe course of reform schooling,